FTD Reviews

EIN provides comprehensive reviews of the FTD releases

FTD - What now, What next, Where to – What’s left?: During Elvis’ lifetime, RCA released a total of between 60 – 70 albums, consisting of dedicated recordings, movie soundtracks and live performances.
The FTD label has been doing an excellent job at looking at the recording anthology of Elvis Presley and releasing every significant LP or recording session on a 1CD or 2CD ‘Classic Album’ version.
However as noted with the recent "ELVIS" second LP release there are less and less outtakes and studio sessions left in the vaults. FTD’s first release was ‘Burbank ’68’ fifteen years ago, so with all the past releases and packaging what is left for the collector?

Year: 2018

COME ON FTD! Let's Speed Things Up A Little!:EIN has very strongly supported the FTD label from the start even though their quality control has slipped at times.
Recently this seems to have got worse, perhaps due to the producers Ernst Jorgensen and Roger Semon's extra work with mainstream SONY releases.
The last couple of FTD live soundboards have notably run slow dragging down the pace of Elvis' performance. This has also been an issue on some previous concert releases.
On ELVIS LAS VEGAS '74' FTD the dates were wrong with the two shows reversed from what the cover indicated.Do FTD collectors deserve better or should we be happy to have anything released with faults and all? Go here as EIN contributor & Elvis author Shane Brown investigates.
Are you a FTD collector - we want to know YOUR THOUGHTS
(Spotlight, Source;ShaneB/ElvisInformationNetwork)

'Elvis: Murfreesboro '74'' FTD In-Depth Review: March 1974 was Elvis' ninth tour of the US and included twenty-five performances in under 3 weeks. Freed from the constraints of the Las Vegas Hilton casino crowd, Elvis was in fine form and putting on great shows. The new FTD double-CD features Elvis' two Murfreesboro shows March 14 and March 19 (the penultimate concert before 'Live In Memphis') from this 1974 tour.

FTD have already released four concerts from this tour, the Tulsa March 1 Opening Show, the Memphis March 17 Evening show, the Richmond March 18 concert plus the RCA recorded 'Live In Memphis' March 20 Closing Night.So do we really need yet another two 1974 soundboards from this March tour? Well, well, well.. the answer is a definite YES!

'Kissin' Cousins' FTD Soundtrack Review:The final Elvis movie soundtrack album in FTD's Classic Album series. Kissin’ Cousins was Elvis’ 14th movie release and it was Elvis' first budget movie production.The 'Kissin’ Cousins' album was released in April 1964 and it was his lowest charting soundtrack album so far.
About the release UK Fan Club President Albert Hand stated, "Here we have an artiste, the finest in the world, being slowly but surely – as a chart prospect – being killed off inches by inches through sheer stupidity”.
Elvis didn't attend the soundtrack session in Nashville and so there is very little available in studio outtakes. FTD however have discovered some previously unreleased material - along with the session backing tracks.

'Elvis: The Bicentennial Show' 1976' FTD In-Depth Review: 1976 is not an easy Elvis live-in-concert year to review. There were no major set-list changes, no dramatic "emotional roller-coaster" of 1974 and no high-flying "Huntsville" 1975 excitements. Apart from the exceptional blast of the final December 1976 Tour the year was the inevitable downward spiral.

However there were some highlights along the way and Elvis collectors have always been keen to hear Elvis' July 4th 1976 Bicentennial performance, as well as RCA's Joan Deary's initial choice for the 1980 box-set of Duluth, October 16, 1976.

Year: 2017

'Elvis: Lake Tahoe '74' FTD In-Depth Review: 'ELVIS: Lake Tahoe ‘74' features another value-for-money double pack with two Dinner Shows from May 25 and May 26 1974. This a 2-CD 5” digipack release.
The setlist at Lake Tahoe this season was fine, and while the May 25, 1974 Dinner Show has been out as an audience recording, the May 26, 1974 Dinner Show is totally unreleased.

Although both concerts are "Dinner Shows" on May 26, with The Jackson 5 in the audience, Elvis was inspired and included several rarities - and pushed the band on with unexpected reprises.

Both concerts create a good combination - making this a great two-for-one release from FTD.

'Roustabout' FTD Soundtrack Review:Roustabout was Elvis' 16th movie, it had been five months since Elvis’ last album session and his publishers had a chance to secure soundtrack material from a variety of composers. Eleven songs were needed and while the carnival theme stopped most of them having any inspired lyrics, at least the composers Leiber / Stoller and Otis Blackwell were included in the selection.Reaching #1 on Billboard in early 1965, it would Elvis’ last chart topping album until "Aloha From Elvis Via Satellite" in 1973.
53 years after its original release FTD is pleased to announce the long awaited "Classic Album" version of "Roustabout". Packaged in 7" format with a full colour 16-page memorabilia booklet, it contains some previously unreleased material.
So why has it taken FTD so long to release? It was once noted that only the masters had been located in the vaults, so there was not much to include for a “Classic Album”... Go here as EIN contributor Ian Garfield examines this new FTD soundtrack release and checks out what's new.
(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'Elvis In Atlanta' FTD In-Depth Review: Mid 1975 found Elvis back in good form and having fun on stage.
As the Atlanta Journal commented … "The mere dimming of the lights is sufficient to set off a feminine uproar. Elvis moves across the stage .. surely the walls of the Omni will tumble at any moment. Musically he's the old Elvis... but also introduces a new recording called "TROUBLE" which is a feverish rocker harkening back to his early days."
FTD has now released a double CD of two legendary 1975 shows from the Omni Coliseum on April 30th and May 1, 1975 retrospectively.
The different piano/vocals sound mix offers an alternate musical vibe to the previously released mid-summer concerts and the gentler, less "Rockin", mix suits the ballads making them sound less O-T-T than usual. Go here as Elvis soundboard super-collector Geoffrey McDonnell & EIN's Piers Beagley check out this new 1975 two-for-the-price-of-one FTD double-pack.
(FTD Reviews, Source:GM/ElvisInfoNet)

'ELVIS: Las Vegas ‘74' FTD Review: A double set featuring both Dinner and Midnight shows from August 20, 1974 from Elvis' legendary 1974 Summer Season at the Las Vegas Hilton.
For Elvis 1974 was an emotionally turbulent year. This was his sixth season singing to the Las Vegas casino audiences, still doing two shows a night, and he was really feeling the loss of Priscilla. Yet this inner turmoil helped produce the most fascinating Las Vegas season of his career. He gave some of his longest performances and with a varied set-list including great new songs It’s Midnight, Promised Land, If You Talk In Your Sleep and Help Me.
One of the fascinations of this new double-pack is that it presents Elvis' second and third concerts by which time Elvis was back once again to the old regular set-list routine. Whatever the reason for Elvis' backwards step, fans can consider whether these concerts capture Elvis' happiness at being back pleasing his audience with the regular set-list.Go here as super-collector Geoffrey McDonnell & EIN's Piers Beagley provide an in-depth review of this new release.(FTD Reviews; Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

Year: 2016

'The World of FTD' In-Depth Review: The new deluxe book 'The World Of FTD' has been received by some lucky fans and Elvis collector Mike Lodge has provided EIN with a very detailed review - of well over 3 thousand words!

The book was authored and designed by Keith Flynn with input from a large number of other Elvis specialists including EIN's Piers Beagley, EM&HM's Trevor Cajiao, Geoffrey McDonnell, Gordon Minto and many others.It is 1,200 pages, hardbound three book set, chronicling every release by FTD.The book also features 100s of high-quality photos from the collection Erik Lorentzen
KJ Consulting are proud to publish this Box Set which weighs 8 kilos.

'Elvis: Spirit Of Jackson, MS' - FTD In-depth Review: On May 5th 1975 Elvis performed a concert in aid of the McComb tornado victims at the State Fair Coliseum, Jackson, Mississippi. Elvis raised $108, 860 to help residents who were affected by the devastation. Since the audio for this benefit show is damaged beyond repair, 'Spirit Of Jackson, MS' includes two other shows from the State Fair Coliseum. Just over a month after the charity show, Elvis performed in Jackson again on June 8 1975 and this show is featured on Disc 2. Disc 1 is from September 5 1976 and one of his very best performances from 1976, prior to his stunning late December shows.For once the set’s main show is the previously unreleased September 5, 1976 concert. Knowing how average/poor Elvis’ shows could be in 1976 this really is a positive statement from FTD that this is an important performance, and luckily recorded in superb quality sound... Go here as Elvis soundboard super-collector Geoffrey McDonnell & EIN's Piers Beagley check out this new FTD double-pack .....(FTD Reviews, Source;GM/PB/ElvisInformationNetwork)

'The Hometown Shows' FTD In-depth Review: FTD's new release 'ELVIS: The Hometown Shows' is another double-CD this time focusing on Elvis' Memphis performance from 1974 / 75. It features two legendary shows from the Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, the March 17, 1974 (Evening show) and June 10, 1975 performance.
The March 17, 1974 ES soundboard is a brand new unreleased show, while June 10 1975 is one of Elvis' best mid-seventies concerts which has been previously out on bootleg. Both are excellent shows and in GREAT sound.
This 1975 concert provided us with the great Ed Bonja cover photo for the 'From EP Boulevard' album so you know Elvis was up for a good time!Go here as Elvis soundboard super-collector Geoffrey McDonnell & EIN's Piers Beagley check out this new FTD Memphis double-pack and discover both the good and the disappointing facts about this new FTD release(FTD Reviews, Source;GM/PB/ElvisInformationNetwork)

'Speedway' - FTD Soundtrack Album Review:Speedway was Elvis' very last Soundtrack album. With the intention of recreating the dynamic atmosphere of 1963’s Viva Las Vegas, MGM cast hot property Nancy Sinatra as Elvis’ co-star but there was no chemistry between them. The original session took place on the MGM soundstage and the recordings flooded in echo sounded terrible. Luckily the four-track MGM Masters still exist and have been remixed for this release creating the best quality recordings we have to date.
With only ‘Let Yourself Go’ and 'Suppose' as the stand out tracks the album was a very dull affair
However several previously unreleased outtakes of the Bonus songs ‘Mine’ and ‘Goin’ Home’ are also included here, help add interest and make CD 1 a packed 79 minutes.
Remarkably with such lacklustre original material FTD have managed to create a rather worthy classic soundtrack album.Go here as EIN's Piers Beagley checks out this recent FTD release.... (FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'Elvis Taking Care Of Business - In A Flash FTD Book Review: Focusing on Elvis in late 1970 and early 1971, "Elvis Presley Taking Care Of Business - In A Flash" is the new FTD Book/CD combo by Flaming Star/FTD.
Produced by David English, Pål Granlund and Paul Richardson, this book presents a detailed chronicle of Elvis’ personal life and public career between the autumn of 1970 and the early weeks of 1971.
It is a hardcover, large-format book with 450 pages that offer detailed coverage of Elvis’ life and career over the important four months from October 1970 to January 1971.
The publicity promised hundreds of photographs, many of them candid and previously unpublished and new and exclusive interviews.
It also comes with a bonus CD with unreleased versions of studio-tracks plus Elvis’ concert in Portland, Oregon on Nov 11th 1970.

'ELVIS - NBC TV Special' FTD CD Review: Elvis’ NBC TV Special was such a high point in his career - his musical renaissance and the sound of him kicking open the door to his prison cell of movie contracts and dreadful scripts - that can there really ever be enough compilations to satisfy us all?'ELVIS - Original Soundtrack Recording From His NBC TV Special' is finally released as an FTD "Classic Album" with a 16-page booklet and remastered audio.
The first disc includes the original album plus the expected Bonus Cuts, while Disc 2 contains a full 80 minutes of Elvis' studio sessions of June 21-23 with LA session band 'The Wrecking Crew'.
The vast majority of the session outtakes however have been previously released, so can this FTD Classic Album really offer anything new?
EIN's Piers Beagley investigates and discovers that it is one of FTD's best releases of all time! Go here for our in-depth review(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'ELVIS Las Vegas 1975' FTD CD Review: FTD This FTD double-album features two of Elvis' best concerts from his Las Vegas March/April 1975 season.
The March 22 Midnight show is considered one of the best concerts of the season and was first released on the Fort Baxter bootleg 'A Profile Vol. 2' while the April 1st Dinner Show captures an enthusiastic Elvis in great humor.
The last time RCA rolled their tapes across an Elvis concert was twelve months before and now his set-list included EIGHT new songs not performed in Memphis back in ‘74. It was ridiculous that this season was never recorded professionally.
Throughout the season Elvis was in fine voice and the excellent set-list includes 'Big Boss Man', 'It's Midnight', 'Promised Land', 'My Boy', 'Fairytale' as well as the one-off 'You're The Reason I'm Living'.Go here as Elvis soundboard super-collector Geoffrey McDonnell checks out this new FTD double-pack ....
(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'Elvis In Alabama Sept 1976' FTD In-Depth Review: 1976 is not an easy Elvis live-in-concert year to review. There were no major set-list changes, no dramatic "emotional roller-coaster" of 1974 and no high-flying "Huntsville" 1975 excitements. Apart from the exceptional blast of the final December 1976 Tour the year was the inevitable downward spiral.

These two Huntsville concerts from September 6th 1976 demonstrate a real transformation when you consider the abysmal ‘state’ Elvis was in just over a week previously at the dreadful ‘Houston’ 28th August show. Elvis was focused and put in more energy than Colonel Parker's double-booking probably deserved.

Year: 2015

'Live A Little, Love A Little' FTD Soundtrack Review:'Live A Little, Love A Little' was Elvis’ 28th movie which at last featured somewhat more of an adult theme.
Billy Strange was the MGM session producer with new musicians from LA’s famous “Wrecking Crew” (Beach Boys, Phil Spector etc). The session was booked at Western Recorders and for the first time Elvis would be recording with a live full-size orchestra.
In a fascinating coincidence in the same month that Sony released 'If I Can Dream' with an overdubbed orchestra, FTD quietly released a genuine studio session of Elvis recording “live” with a full 40-piece orchestra! So what does the FTD CD give collectors? How does Elvis work in the studio with a full orchestra?
In 1968 Elvis was in great voice, there were four quality songs and all backed by a live orchestra. There was a genuine effort on the movie soundtrack to back a movie in which Elvis just couldn’t seem to get a smile off his face.Go here as EIN contributor Ian Garfield examines this new release, as well as looking carefully at each of the four songs take by take to see what this CD has to offer.
(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'Rock Around The Bloch' FTD Book Review: Fifty four years ago Elvis Presley helped raised money and directed much-needed attention to the stalled efforts to build the USS Arizona Memorial. On March 25, 1961, the 26-year-old Presley took the stage to an arena packed with 4,000 frenzied, screaming fans. He performed 15 songs that night ending with a rousing performance of "Hound Dog, which included a slide across the stage on his knees.
The concert raised about $54,000, and public and private donations poured in following the show.
This newly published FTD Book/CD combo celebration of this fabulous show is 'Rock Around The Bloch' by David English and Pal Granlund. A hardback book containing 288 pages it includes first-hand accounts from people who were there, newspaper articles from the time and numerous photographs (over 130 of which have never been published before).EIN contributor David Tinson checks out this new FTD release....
(FTD Reviews, Source/ElvisInfoNet)

'Elvis' Christmas Album' FTD Review: There is no doubt that the FTD office has a white-board that lists all the remaining Elvis releases for future ‘Classic Albums’ and as we sadly approach the end of the CD, and FTD, era the few remaining “lesser” ones are finally getting released.
Two of these would be 'Elvis' Christmas Album’ – already released in the multiple variations and with no session outtakes - and ‘Flaming Star’ with only four tracks, two of which were deemed too corny for release at the time.
On September 5, 1957 Elvis arrived at Radio Recorders and all that was needed was eight new Christmas songs and the ‘Peace In The Valley’ numbers would make up the rest. The first Christmas song they tried out was ‘Blue Christmas’ and the rest is history...For the umpteenth release FTD really needed to produce the ultimate package for collectors but this time unfortunately this Classic Album falls a little short of expectations.. Here EIN's Piers Beagley checks out this recent FTD....(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'Flaming Star' FTD Review: There is no doubt that the FTD office has a white-board that lists all the remaining Elvis releases for future ‘Classic Albums’ and as we sadly approach the end of the CD, and FTD, era the few remaining “lesser” ones are finally getting released.
Two of these would be 'Elvis' Christmas Album’ – already released in the multiple variations and with no session outtakes - and ‘Flaming Star’ with only four tracks, two of which were deemed too corny for release at the time.
It was on August 1st 1960 that Elvis returned to Hollywood for pre-production on his sixth film, Flaming Star. As G.I. Blues would not be released until the end of the year Elvis must have hoped that the fluffy singing-travelogues were behind him and now, at last, he had a Western that would test his acting skills and give him another real chance to prove himself.FTD once again prove that all is not lost as they find some very enjoyable previously unreleased 1960 session tapes and more...Here EIN's Piers Beagley checks out this recent FTD in detail....(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

Year: 2014

'Elvis In Florida April 1975' FTD In-Depth Review: Mid 1975 found Elvis back in good form and having fun on stage. Officially we have so far heard almost nothing from the first part of Elvis' Tour#13 from April 24 - May 7. This FTD features material from Elvis' Lakeland concerts on April 27th & 28th as well as Jacksonville April 25 1975.
The St. Petersburg Times commented … "But Elvis' forte is still the rockin' stuff, and he shows he hasn't lost what it takes. His Burning Love puts shame even to his own record version. When he launches into a slow, torchy Heartbreak Hotel, the inflections are vintage 1956"

FTD decided that this interesting selection deserved a release in the larger 7' format.

'ELVIS' FTD Classic Album Review: Elvis' fabulous second album, his first genuine album recorded for RCA. This is not a Greatest-Hits kind of collection, instead it contained twelve tracks of extraordinary variety - it is one of my favourite early Elvis albums.
There is no doubt that FTD had to produce this ‘ELVIS’ Classic Album version at some point - but it has to be a very different offering to the classic first LP as unfortunately the session tapes for nearly every song is missing. Another difference is that nearly all these tracks have already been remastered by Vic Anesini and have previously been released elsewhere.

Year: 2013

'The On Stage Season' FTD Review:After their excellent "On Stage" multi-track Classic album, FTD now continues their look at this excellent season with the first official release of Elvis' 1970 Opening and Closing night performances. "If I appear a little shaky that's because I'm a little shaky!" - Elvis, Las Vegas Jan 26th 1970.On Opening Night Elvis introduced ten "brand new" songs to his Vegas setlist and what a treat it is to hear these for the first time live. ‘King Elvis Rules Vegas Again’ - As Elvis stood with his arms outstretched and head bowed in thanks, the curtain slowly fell and we were swept up with the excitement of the crowd which was at its peak. ... with every song, Elvis gave the audience exactly what they had come for: a chance to see and experience a living legend. Elvis a habit-forming' drug that does you good!- Journalist Ann MosesEIN's Piers Beagley checks out this new release and decides whether it is worth buying these often bootlegged concerts one more time...(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNet)

'SOLD OUT' FTD CD Review: This FTD release features two previously unknown reel-to-reel recordings of Elvis on tour in 1974.
March 1974 was Elvis' ninth tour of the USA and was his first tour since July 1973. Freed from the constraints of the Las Vegas Hilton casino crowd, Elvis was in fine form and putting on great shows getting fabulous on-stage feedback from his enthusiastic audiences from the Southern states. Every concert sold out in a few hours and extra concerts had to be added to meet the demand.
Elvis would play 154 concerts in 1974 and Tulsa March 1st would be his first outside the Las Vegas casino crowd, Cleveland June 21st would also be a great performance to an enthusiastic crowd.Go here as EIN's Piers Beagley along with David Tinson provide an in-depth review of this fabulous new FTD release....

(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'Hot August Night' FTD CD Review:After the success of the iconic '68 Comeback Special - Elvis signed on the dotted line for a pretty penny - a cool million to perform a two week engagement in Las Vegas at the newly built International Hotel. Mixing contemporary songs and his classic rock 'n' roll hits Elvis and his dynamite TCB Band kicked some serious Ass in Sin City.
Elvis' stunning August 25 1969 Midnight Show formed the core section of Elvis' famous "In Person" RCA album with seven performances being selected from this fabulous night.For the first time ever, at last FTD have released Elvis' complete performance - but do these songs stand out when listened to as part of this familiar 1969 Las Vegas season?Go HERE as EIN contributor David Tinson checks out this new FTD release.(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNet)

'3000 South Paradise Road' FTD CD Review: A two-CD release with 16-page booklet this FTD takes a close look at Elvis’ engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton in August of 1972.
The main disc is the Dinner Show from August 12, 1972 and the second disc is culled from the rehearsals on August 4th, the date of the opening of the engagement. '3000 South Paradise Road' provides a unique experience of Elvis rehearsing, 6 hours before the opening night at the Las Vegas Hilton. August 1972 was a great period with Elvis out of those typical jumpsuits and looking cool in his two-piece suits. Created by true Elvis fans for Elvis collectors - and with the fabulous audio remaster of the fine August 12 Dinner Show - this is what the FTD label is all about.Click here to EIN's in-depth review of this new FTD release..

(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

Year: 2012

'From Elvis Presley Boulevard' FTD In-Depth Review: 'From Elvis Presley Boulevard' was first released in April 1976 but only reached #41 in the charts. It only featured 10 tracks, recorded at Elvis' Graceland home among them 'Hurt', 'Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain' and 'For The Heart'. BUT if Elvis was "Raised on Rock" then why was 'From Elvis Presley Boulevard' such a middle-of-the-road quagmire of syrupy overdubs and tepid songs? This really wasn’t the album Elvis fans had been waiting for.
In hindsight we now understand more about Elvis’ depressed emotional state at the time and the difficulties involved in getting him enthusiastic enough to record at all. But if the single ‘Hurt/For The Heart’ was supposed to be the promo for the album, then fans were surely disappointed. Even the cover pretended it was a live concert album - the Colonel must have been desperate! It is certainly one of Elvis’ worst albums.Go here as EIN's Piers Beagley discovers a new way to enjoy this Classic Album release(FTDReviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'G.I.Blues Vol.1' FTD Soundtrack - CD review: The long-awaited first volume of G.I. BLUES material in the FTD expanded soundtrack series. G.I. Blues was Elvis' fifth film and his first after returning from the US Army. Elvis was discharged from active duty in early March 1960 and began work on 'G.I. Blues' soon after on April 21st. Now 52 years later, FTD release 'G.I Blues Volume 1' and with its new sparkling audio it is a veritable smorgasbord of delights. Whether it's Elvis’ swaggering Dean Martin impression on ‘What’s She Really Like’, numerous infectious takes of ‘Shoppin Around’, the thrill-a-minute frenetic train-ride of ‘Frankfort Special’ or the overall Bavarian flavour, this release marches to an altogether different beat.Go here as David Tinson and EIN's Piers Beagley provide an in-depth combined reviewas to why this classic soundtrack might be worth buying one more time.(FTD REviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'From Hawaii to Las Vegas' CD Review: 'From Hawaii To Las Vegas’ is from a previously unreleased cassette recording of Elvis’ January 25 1973 dress rehearsal for his January/February Las Vegas Hilton season.
The rough audio quality is more than compensated for by the fascinating insight into how Elvis worked in order to create his shows. With little talk, and a lot of music, we are invited to a first row presentation of what Elvis had in mind, and yet he decided to change the repertoire the next day.

Among the many songs is "Separate Ways" a song that Elvis chose to never perform in public - as well as a stunning "Steamroller Blues" and the fabulously rare 'I’m Leavin’ It All Up To You'

'Another Saturday Night' FTD Review: Mid 1975 found Elvis back in good form and having fun on stage. Slimmed down and looking great in his new Indian Feather jump-suit Elvis seemed rejuvenated and happy to be back on stage.
As the Memphis Commercial Appeal commented … "It didn't seem to matter what Elvis sang, the audience went wild every time he moved and he made if clear he knew what was turning them on."
FTD has now released the Shreveport June 7th 1975 Evening Show - a previously UNISSUED performance, even on bootleg.
While the set-list may seem a little familiar, Elvis sure knows how to put on a crowd-pleasing show. Go here as Elvis super-fan Geoffrey McDonnell checks out whether this previously UNRELEASED concert offers anything new for Elvis collectors.... (FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'Our Memories of Elvis Vols 1,2 &3' FTD CD Review: Ernst Jorgensen originally said that FTD were unlikely to release this Joan Deary 1979 "Pure Elvis Sound" concept on CD stating, "I think we have more important things to do."However FTD have discovered 18 Previously Unreleased "Pure Elvis Sound" tracks and have now issued a stunning 38 track compilation gathering up all the audio engineer Dick Bogert created "Pure Elvis Sound" masters. And what a great concept it is.
Most of the selected tracks were Elvis' Master versions with some but not all of the overdubs removed - and were unique. These tracks were almost never the "Undubbed Masters" that are now being released on FTD. Go here as EIN's Piers Beagley digs deep, providing an incredibly in-depth review - examining every track in detail and discovers The Good and The Disappointing... (FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'On Stage' FTD Classic Album Review: The long-awaited double-CD Classic Album version of RCA's 1970's 'On Stage' - and featuring three officially unreleased LIVE concerts. Recorded in Las Vegas February 1970, the original album was released in June 1970 and for Elvis fans the album was an absolute stunner showcasing some fabulous original material.
A few months ago EIN reviewed ‘ReBooked’ the deluxe 4CD bootleg set of Elvis’ Jan/ Feb 1970 Vegas season. Now FTD follows up with a marvellous "Classic Album" version that very cleverly matches the bootleg release giving us 25 brand new unreleased performances."I’m about to lose this damn thing. Get me a belt! Excuse us while we forgot what we were doing - because I lost control hours ago!" - Elvis Presley in Las Vegas Feb 19th 1970.Go here to Piers Beagley's in-depth review with photos and extracts.(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

Year: 2011

'Promised Land' FTD CD Review: The long-awaited double-CD "Classic Album" version of 1974's 'Promised Land' album. Recorded in December 1973 at Stax Records in Memphis, the original album was released in 1974 and is thought by some to be the best Elvis studio album from the 1970s.
The title track, "Promised Land" was a cover of a 1965 hit by Chuck Berry and was issued as a single and hit number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and landed in the UK top ten.
Unlike the previous STAX classic albums, this time FTD present us with a second disc as "The Making Of" this wonderful album - in a similar style to the FTD ‘Let Yourself Go’ being ‘The Making Of’ the Comeback Special. This means lots of studio interaction and banter as Elvis and the band work-through to the final Masters – and it is a real delight.

'48 Hours To Memphis' FTD CD Review: Elvis' Richmond show, March 18 1974 on this FTD features a previously unknown multi-track recording. March 1974 was Elvis' ninth tour of the USA and twenty-five performances in under 3 weeks. Freed from the constraints of the Las Vegas Hilton casino crowd, Elvis was in fine form and putting on great shows getting fabulous on-stage feedback from his enthusiastic audiences from the Southern states. Every concert sold out in a few hours and extra concerts had to be added to meet the demand.
This recording was made 2 days before 'Recorded live on stage in Memphis'. It’s a fabulous discovery with the recording coming from a newly discovered, unmarked tape. The concert also gets a deluxe 7" packaging plus 16-page booklet.Click here to EIN's in-depth review of this new FTD release..

(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'Fashion For A King' FTD in-depth Review: 'Fashion For A King' is an FTD co-produced Book/CD package, featuring a 512-page book written by Norwegians Tommy Edvardsen and Atle Larsen - it also includes 2 new live soundboards.
This is an almighty project, a coffee-table book including details and photos of all of Elvis’ stage outfits.
There is no doubt that Elvis collectors found the pre-publicity mouth-watering since it promised "a full documentary of all Elvis’ suits" and nothing of this magnitude has been done before - and certainly not with FTD as the official co-publisher.
The book assembles an astounding selection of images of Elvis from 1968 to 1977 from many notable photographic contributors including Ed Bonja, Keith Alveston, George O’Hill, Bob Heis and Sherrif Hannah. With varying reviews already published, from glowing "one of the best", to terrible "if this was a car it would be recalled", EIN contributor Geoffrey McDonnell and Piers Beagley have worked together to give you this honest, informed and in-depth review. Go here for review and images.

(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

'Stage Rehearsal' FTD Review: Elvis' triumphant return to live performances was filmed by MGM in August 1970. The live footage in ‘That's The Way It Is’ was compiled from six concerts, filmed over four nights from the Opening Show on August 10th to the August 13th Dinner Show.

The new FTD focuses on the August 10th Dress Rehearsal for these all-important concerts - it also includes 6 Bonus Songs from 1972 & 1973.

EIN had high expectations of this great rehearsal, after all as a Fan Club Collectors’ release we pay good money to hear the real Elvis warts and all. However much of original spontaneity of Elvis' great performance has somehow been lost in the FTD production. On the other hand, there is no doubting that the remastered sound quality is fantastic and there are some real treats along the way especially with the Bonus Songs.

Elvis Amarillo ’77 FTD CD Review: Elvis' second tour of 1977 kicked off in Tempe, Arizona on March 23rd. He had just returned from his final vacation in Hawaii and was hopefully rested and recuperated.
This previously un-released March 24th Amarillo concert was the second concert in the two-week tour and hopefully Elvis would be in better form than was often the case in 1977. In fact Felton Jarvis started recorded some songs professionally for the 'Moody Blue' album from Norman, Oklahoma the very next day.
The new Amarillo FTD focuses on this second tour and includes 11 Bonus Tracks creating a very packed CD. These include 'Steamroller Blues' Elvis' only 1977 version from Austin, Texas - as well as the very rare live 'Bosom of Abraham/You Better Run' previously unreleased. Go here as EIN contributor Geoffrey McDonnell checks out this brand new FTD to see whether Elvis' Hawaii holiday really had got him fired up and ready to rock.(FTD Reviews; Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

Year: 2010

'Boston Garden '71' FTD CD Review: After the tremendous success of Elvis back on stage and touring in 1970, somewhat surprisingly, Colonel Parker arranged only one tour for Elvis in 1971 just 14 shows away from the routine casino atmospheres of Vegas & Tahoe. ‘ELVIS - As Recorded At Boston Garden '71’ from November 10, 1971 was the only time Elvis ever played in Boston - and with such a successful show it is a real surprise that he never returned.

It is always better hearing Elvis work a larger tour crowd than the usual Vegas audiences and this is no exception. Elvis always raised himself to a challenge and after the Vegas Summer Season, of 57 shows in a row, he was bound to be more inspired. This November 1971 Tour was also the first time Elvis used J.D Sumner & The Stamps who had just replaced The Imperials.

'King Creole - The Music' FTD Review: The Audiovisual documentary ‘King Creole - the Music’ was released last July. With hardly any song outtakes available, FTD decided that this release could not work as a ‘Classic Soundtrack Album’ release so instead have used plenty of unreleased new Elvis photos from the King Creole sessions (ex super-collector Pal Granlund) to create this deluxe book.
The publicity notes, "Includes more than 200 classic, rare and never before published photos from the recording session and the filming of the song scenes for King Creole. The accompanying CD includes all known surviving Elvis recordings from the session".
While it is described as an "Audiovisual documentary" sadly the CD only last 36 minutes including the 8 bonus tracks. So with no new session outtakes as a temptation and with a fairly high asking price, go here to find out if EIN's Piers Beagley believes it is yet another essential purchase.(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

SHOWTIME! - FTD Review: In December 1976 Elvis performed a short mini-tour of five cities ending with the fabulous New Year’s Eve concert in Pittsburgh. Unlike the majority of Elvis' very lackadaisical concerts from earlier in the year he was really ready to rock. Elvis' new girlfriend Ginger Alden, only 20 years old - was on tour with him. These December 1976 concerts would be our last glimpse of that fabulous musical beacon that shone so brightly back in August 1969 in Las Vegas - and both the Dallas and Birmingham concerts are two Must-Have performances that all true Elvis fans should own.

Having previously been out on bootleg FTD manages to upgrade both concerts and gives us two for the price of one..

'High Sierra' FTD Review: On May 16th 1974 Elvis kicked off his 22-concert season at the Sahara Tahoe hotel, his third season at Lake Tahoe. 'High Sierra' features the previously unreleased Elvis Midnight concert of May 21 1974, and more as bonus tracks. It was only eight weeks since Elvis' had completed his 1974 spring tour of the southern states that had cumulated in the famous 'Live On Stage in Memphis' March 20th 1974 concert & album. This CD captures a different mood, along with some delightful surprises including possibly the best version of "Spanish Eyes" ever released.

'From Sunset To Las Vegas' FTD Review: From a musically creative viewpoint 1974 was disappointing since it was the first year since Elvis came out of the army that he wouldn’t record any Studio material at all. Instead he spent nearly the whole year on Tour performing an incredible 156 concerts. In August 1974 however, possibly due to new girlfriend Sheila Ryan, Elvis decided to shake up his on-stage set-list and on 12th August Elvis arrived at RCA’s Hollywood studio to begin several days of rehearsals for his new Vegas season. The taped rehearsal features a string of exceptional songs, Promised Land, Down In The Alley, It's Midnight, Your Love's Been A Long Time Coming, Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues, etc and when released as a bootleg in 1996 it was hailed as an all-time classic discovery.

'A Minnesota Moment' FTD in-depth review: Elvis live-in-concert in 1976 is not an easy year to review. There were no major set-list changes and more often than not Elvis was on auto-pilot, bored and overmedicated. Apart from the exceptional blast of the final December Tour, 1976 in retrospect seems a slow downward spiral. However, as with everything Elvis, there are always contradictions, changes and sometimes light at the end of the tunnel. The month leading up to Elvis' October 1976 Tour saw a positive change and Elvis' concert in Minnesota on October 17th 1976 captures a somehat rejuvenated Elvis as he headed towards those final great December 1976 concerts.

'Jailhouse Rock' EIN in-depth FTD Soundtrack review: Jailhouse Rock is one of Elvis' key films, and certainly his best "musical". Directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Pandro Berman it reached #3 of Variety's weekly list of Top Grossing films. Despite being a genuine "musical" in the old MGM sense the film featured only 6 songs and only a Single and Extended Play was released. Of course both the Single and EP went to Number 1 and several CD compilations have since been released. Can FTD really treat us to something worth buying all over again? Who else could write 5,000 words on an old Elvis soundtrack?

The first CD presents a compilation of 29 highlights divided into The Originals, RCA Alternate Masters, Movie Masters but with only 6 songs can FTD really give us anything new? EIN's Piers Beagley reveals all...

(FTD Reviews, Source;EIN)

Year: 2009

'The Wonder Of You' FTD Review: A lot of Colonel Parker's managerial decisions in Elvis’ career defy logic. When documenting Elvis’ magnificent return to live performances for a world-wide cinema release, why on earth would you make the star performer work two shows a night?
The ‘The Wonder Of You’ features the August 13th Dinner Show Elvis’ last MGM filmed performance. At the five previous shows Elvis had staged some truly spectacular performances for the cameras but there were several key songs that he had still not performed. Recent hits like ‘The Wonder Of You’, ‘Don’t Cry Daddy’ and even ‘In the Ghetto’ needed to be filmed.
However there is the overall feeling that Elvis was tired this night and not particularly enthused. Luckily Vic Anesini has worked some audio magic with this new multi-track remix and turned a tired sounding Elvis performance into another TTWII concert well-worth collecting.

'Blue Hawaii' FTD Soundtrack in-depth Review: Blue Hawaii was one of Elvis' biggest-selling albums and most fans would have purchased these songs previously on the original vinyl and then again via BMG's extended 1997 release. Despite it's travelogue style 'Blue Hawaii' has always been one of the essential albums to own even for non-soundtrack fans. So can this FTD extended movie soundtrack release really be the definitive version to make it worth buying all over again. EIN's Piers Beagley puts on his Hawaiian-shirt and digs deep to discover plenty of reasons to enjoy this 2 ½ hours of fun. Can there really be that much to say over this old chestnut? - you betcha'!

'Nevada Nights' FTD review:Elvis' 1974 summer Las Vegas season was a roller-coaster of emotional performances. There is no doubt that Opening Night August 19 on CD1 is one of the key concerts of Elvis' career. This is the famous performance where Elvis decided to update his regular set-list to give the faithful fans something new to hear. For this reason this concert has always been a favourite bootleg amongst serious Elvis fans. There is in fact no other 1970’s concert where Elvis did songs for the very first time, the very last time as well as other unique song performances. It was that rare a show. With Nevada Nights, FTD for the first time gives us a double digi-pack of two concerts from the same season. EIN's Piers Beagley checks it out.

(FTD Reviews, Source;EIN)

'IN PERSON’ at The International Hotel' FTD CD review: In August 1969 Elvis was bursting with a new enthusiasm and energy. ‘In The Ghetto’ had just charted #3 in the US and Elvis needed to prove to his first Las Vegas audience that the King could truly reclaim his crown. There is no doubt that 40 years after the event it is a real treat to get a brand new 1969 performance - and even if the songs are very similar it is still fascinating to hear Elvis’ audience interaction. EIN's Piers Beagley soaks up the rock'n'roll of Elvis in 1969 with an in-depth look at FTD's "Classic Album" release of this all-important Elvis LP - and discovers some classic ELVIS Moments. Go here for the in-depth review

(FTD reviews, Source; EIN)

'Love Letters' FTD CD review:A nice surprise..........I’ve never been a fan of this album. Until now, that is. Sweden's Crister Berge provides a mini-review - and discovers another fine FTD release.

(FTD reviews, Source; EIN)

Year: 2008

'I Sing All Kinds' FTD CD review: Ever since the excellent FTD ‘Nashville Marathon’ focused on Elvis’ recording sessions in 1970 there has been a demand from fans for a similar look at his 1971 sessions. Elvis certainly covered a lot of different musical genres in that year, from Christian Rock to Folk to Gospel and lonesome ballads. The title ‘I Sing All Kinds’ is most appropriate and the CD even features five Christmas songs! FTD have chosen a very eclectic selection of songs for the CD, but does it really work? EIN's Piers Beagley delves deep into a bunch of fascinating outtakes to find out. (FTD reviews, Source; EIN)

Elvis’ Gold Records - Vol 2 - FTD CD Review:From its sensational LP cover to its string of chart-topping singles '50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong' is an outright Elvis - and pop music - classic. First released for Christmas 1959, the ten original LP tracks all positively burst out with 1950’s exuberance. However with only ten tracks taken from just five singles it reached a disappointing #31 in the US charts. It could almost be seen as The Colonel's first marketing error! However this deluxe FTD also includes 3 bonus Master tracks, masses of outtakes, and with some stunning audio upgrades it provides hours of ROCKIN' entertainment. Having bought this album several times previously, EIN's Piers Beagley digs deep to find out what new delights are in store. (FTD Reviews; Source: EIN Jan 2008)

Is the new 'T.T.W.I.I' Classic Album release just a rehash of the 30th Anniversary BMG issue? The April FTD release of 'That's The Way It Is' is an interesting one with several fans writing to EIN saying that FTD's recently announced 'TTWII' deluxe Classic Album release is only a revisit of the BMG 30th Anniversary 3-CD TTWII' Special Edition and not worth ordering. As Elvis fans often complain of being forced to buy the same material repeatedly for only a couple of new Elvis snippets - are they being ripped off once again? EIN's Piers Beagley checks out the details and reasons that this FTD version will in fact become a firm favourite.

(News, Source; EIN)

'Wild In the Country' FTD Soundtrack - Two reviews: The fourteenth FTD extended movie soundtrack is all the more intriguing since 'Wild In The Country' was never released as a vinyl soundtrack, not even as an Extended Play. With only five songs in total this FTD soundtrack had the potential of being a lightweight and rather repetitive compilation with little of interest. Two tracks never saw the light of day until 4 years later! - EIN presents two reviews of differing opinions. Click here to see what delights EIN's ever-obsessive reviewer Piers Beagley found in his in-depth review.Click here to see why Sweden's Crister Berge was not that impressed with the rather weak choice of material.

'An American Trilogy' - FTD CD Review:The January- Feb 1972 Las Vegas season was an all-important step as Elvis headed towards his 'On Tour' filmed performances and finally to Madison Square Garden. Elvis was in great shape both physically and vocally, and he was once again serious about performing. The Billboard Magazine review said, "The tight, fast paced just long enough show .... had no weak spots. "An American Trilogy" showcases a cleverly edited complete concert - but at the same time repeats several previously released tracks. EIN contributor Armond Joseph investigates. Go here for the full review (Source; EIN, Feb 2008)

'Live In L.A' FTD Book/CD review: 'Live In L.A.' is FTD’s audiovisual documentary of Elvis in Los Angeles. Although it covers 1956-1976, the main focus of the book and bonus CD is the evening show at the Inglewood Forum, May 11th 1974. The book contains 138 pages with nearly every photo in colour. Supergroup Led Zeppelin were in the audience and Elvis needed to put on a good show - and the book gives fans a chance to relieve the feel of the concert through some excellent images of Elvis in action. Since it is a much slimmer volume than FTD's 'Rockin' Across Texas' and also containing some audio problems with the soundboard CD, fan reviews have been varied. Click here to read EIN contributor Armond Joseph's deeper investigation to see whether it is really worth the price. (Source: EIN, Jan 2008)

Year: 2007

'Raised On Rock' FTD CD review: On initial release Elvis’ October 1973 LP ‘Raised On Rock’ with its paltry 10 tracks running only 28 minutes, was one of Elvis’ poorest 1970’s albums. An original review stated that it was a "pitiful apology for a rock record that would have made Elvis laugh himself sick in his early days!" - and in some ways the critics were right. However while it was one of Elvis' weakest albums, FTD have once again achieved terrific work in delivering a new insight into the original LP via "Rough Mixes" and outakes which all capture a spark not previously heard in these July sessions. In our review EIN's Piers Beagley digs way too deep to uncover the real gems amongst the dullness. (FTD Review, Source: EIN, Jan 2008)

'Unchained Melody' FTD CD review: While a 1977 concert could never be a highlight of Elvis' on-stage career, there has to be emotional involvement from any true Elvis fan. With this release of a totally unknown concert from Charlotte February 1977, FTD continues to provide thought-provoking material for Elvis collectors. With tracks like ’Reconsider Baby’ and ‘Where No One Stands Alone’ there are also some very fine performances that needed to be officially released. So while this CD will have its detractors who are only interested in the glory days of Elvis' early seventies concerts EIN discovers plenty of reasons that make this CD worth a spin. (Source: EIN, April 2007)

'His Hand In Mine' FTD Deluxe CD review: With a stylish booklet and 53 tracks featured over 2 CDs, FTD once again spoils Elvis fans with the ultimate version of this classic gospel album. Although most of these tracks have been released before, the upgraded sound and exquisite harmonies provide a emotional look into the music that Elvis so loved. EIN's Piers Beagley spent Easter soaking in the glory of The Lord and Elvis' divine Gospel music, leading him to discover plenty of new highlights that would make any fan happy. The CD also features exciting new versions of Elvis' #1 singles 'Surrender' and 'Crying In The Chapel.' Only EIN brings you such in-depth analysis of Elvis' music. (Source: EIN, April 2007)

'Writing For The King' FTD Book/CD review: FTD’s biggest project to date with over 140 interviews, 400 pages, plus two bonus CDs. While perhaps not for 'jumpsuit junkies', this is a text driven book that deserves one's time being spent poring over the information and discovering plenty of fascinating quotes and Elvis stories along the way. EIN's Piers Beagley spent a week delving into this host of delights - and here provides an in-depth review of one of the best Elvis releases of 2006. (Source: EIN, Feb 2007)

'Let Yourself Go' FTD CD review: 'Let Yourself Go' is a glimpse into the making of Elvis' sensational 1968 'Comeback' TV Special. While it does feel like a 'work under construction' this is the sound of Elvis kicking open the door to his prison cell of movie contracts and dreadful scripts. With Studio outtakes plus a rehearsal jam, isn't this what the FTD "Collectors" label is all about? (FTD Reviews; Source: EIN, Jan 2007)

Year: 2006

'Clambake' FTD Soundtrack CD review: This is the sound of Elvis at the crossroads trying to break free from his movie contracts and heading for renewed musical creativity. So can this Clambake extended FTD possibly shine a complimentary light on the wrong side of these crossroads? Unfortunately not, and EIN's Piers Beagley suffers for his art with some disappointing Clambake stew. (Source: EIN, 9 August 2006)

'Elvis Presley' FTD Deluxe CD review: The quintessential first Elvis Presley album. The first million-selling Popular Music LP, the world’s first Number One Rock’n’Roll album, the album that changed music history forever! Released by BMG in another format for the umpteenth time, EIN investigates the new FTD deluxe version. Can the small number of new outtakes, improved audio & new packaging really make it worth buying all over again? (Source: EIN, August 2006)

'Something For Everybody' FTD CD review: From blues to pop, ballads to rock, in 1961 this was indeed Something For Everybody. Although this deluxe release cannot hold that many new surprises for hard-core collectors, CD 1 is a sublime 78 minutes of perfect pop while CD 2 has hidden treasures that will satisfy any fan. The real strength of this collection is the inclusion of the major 1961 singles and the upgraded & flawless sound, as well as a very nice cover & 16-page booklet. (FTD Review, Source: EIN, July 2006)

'I Found My Thrill' FTD CD review: Did Elvis really sing "Does your chewing Gum loose its flavour on the bed-post overnight"? Should he have recorded Charlie Rich’s "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World"? The answers are all here on this stunning new release from FTD which features a fabulous concert from Elvis’ almost unknown January 1974 Las Vegas season. The set-list is a fascinating selection and Elvis is inspired & energetic. Best of all the bonus tracks are truly sensational! EIN is thrilled - don’t miss out on this one. (FTD Review, Source: EIN, July 2006)

'Made In Memphis' - FTD review: The most recent FTD compilation which this time rounds-up those 'left-over' outtakkes from Elvis’ recording sessions in his home-town. It also includes the famous home recordings of Sam Thompson. By its very concept this has to be a mixed-bag of goodies - but it does feature FIFTEEN unreleased studio outtakes. Following FTD's concept, EIN's Piers Beagley delves deeply into the exploration of Elvis' more emotional & introspective side. Can this really be another essential release? (Source: EIN, May 2006)

'Loving You' - FTD extended Soundtrack review:Dismissed all too flippantly by some reviewers, EIN discovers plenty of delights in this packed 'Special Edition'. Let's face it, Elvis' third LP from 'Mean Woman Blues', through 'Blueberry Hill' to 'I Need You So' was a great release.

This FTD runs over 2 hours 15 mins, includes 5 new "alternates" that are essential for your collection, along with a fabulous booklet, and is a release that can't be ignored. EIN's Piers Beagley digs deep & reveals all. (FTD Review, Source: EIN, Feb 2006)

'Southern Nights' - FTD review: If you are a little bored with Elvis’ standard set-list of See See Rider/I Got A Woman/Love Me, then this is the CD for you! Compiled to complement the 'Dixieland Rocks' 1975 FTD release, this is an invigorating selection of Elvis at his best in 1975, having fun & throwing plenty of spontaneous songs into the set-list. It also features the "new" song 'Jambalaya'. (FTD Review, Source: EIN, Feb 2006)

Year: 2005

'Summer Festival' - FTD review: After the highs of 'On Tour' and 'Madison Square Garden', Elvis is in surprisingly good form for a 7th Las Vegas season Dinner Show. Featuring the first official live release of the songs, ‘My Way’, ‘What Now My Love’, and a wonderful first-ever ‘Fever’, there are plenty of reasons to check out this new FTD - although some peak audio distortion is a little disturbing. (FTD Review, Source: EIN, October 2005)

'Today' - FTD deluxe CD review: EIN's Piers Beagley discovers the hidden delights of the newest FTD 'deluxe release' that other reviews missed. While not without its faults, he finds a CD capturing the lovely atmosphere of what would turn out to be Elvis’ last spirited recording session - and there is also plenty of new material to explore. (FTD Review, Source: EIN, August 2005)

All Shook Up - FTD CD review: The excitement of Elvis' return to live performances in August 1969 would never be repeated. On his Midnight shows Elvis had no time limit, was able to perform to his maximum and on this special night he was in a fabulously funny mood & as loose as a goose! ‘All Shook Up’ captures Elvis’ truly infectious laughter while at the same time Larry Muhoberac's piano driven mix, and the rare song highlights, also make this CD well-worth investigating. (FTD Review, Source: EIN)

Tickle Me - FTD Extended Soundtrack CD review: With no new songs or outtakes included, can the new FTD extended Soundtrack really be worth purchasing? EIN is the only website with in-depth reviews of all these soundtrack CDs and we discover that, if you do like Elvis' smoother early sixties pop-style, then this could be the FTD for you! The audio quality is excellent with tracks taken from the best sources available, plus there are a few surprises in store - EIN reveals all! (FTD Review, Source: EIN)

'Rockin' Across Texas' (FTD/Book review): Over 270 pages featuring plenty of unpublished photos along with fascinating tales of Elvis' early years, 'Rockin' Across Texas' is the biggest project by FTD so far. However since it is an upgrade of the 2002 book 'Elvis In Texas', this time combined with two concert CDs from 1974 & 1976, EIN checks to see if it is really worth the money. (FTD/Book Review, Source: EIN, July 2005)

‘Elvis Is Back!’ (FTD Review):In early 1960 Elvis Presley’s future career would hinge on just two night’s recording sessions. Had Elvis not created such quintessential million-selling music on these two crucial nights he could have been relegated to the fifties rock’n’roll vaults along with Bill Haley and the like. EIN explores the new double deluxe FTD release to discover why it is an essential purchase.(FTD Review, Source: EIN, 1 June 2005)

FTD review - "Big Boss Man" - 1975, Elvis was forty and the year had not begun well. By March however Elvis was feeling better, even joking about his own weight saying, "You should have seen me a month ago. I looked like Mama Cass!" So although early 1975 was not a peak of Elvis’ concert career, this packed release does present us with a remarkable look at Elvis’ 12th Las Vegas season capturing a fine song-list with some excellent performances, the historic meeting with Barbra Streisand, and also some delicious rarities. The latest FTD soundboard is definitely worth investigating as our detailed review reveals. (FTD Review, Source: EIN, 4 May 2005)

"Elvis Today" Spotlight - the LP revisited:Our recent posting about the July 2005 release of the updated classic album, "Elvis Today" caused a lot of interest. Ernst Jorgensen recently confirmed with EIN that CD2 will feature the Felton Jarvis produced, original Rick Ruggieri "RCA rough-mix". In this interesting article EIN’s Piers Beagley delves a little deeper into ‘Today’ to find out why it was Elvis’ final great LP and highlights some great new cover artwork from Spinout Designs. (Review, Source: EIN)

Kid Galahad FTD soundtrack review:EIN is the only website with truly in-depth reviews of all the FTD soundtrack releases. Here Piers Beagley digs deeper than ever to discover exactly what is so special about the six songs that make up the Kid Galahad soundtrack. Can 35 versions of 'King Of The Whole Wide World' really be that interesting?...EIN reveals all! (FTD Review, Source: EIN)

Follow That Dream (FTD Review):Piers Beagley had a good listen to the 10th soundtrack release from FTD. Is it an essential or repetitive release? Read Piers' in-depth review to find out. (FTD Review, Source: EIN)

Elvis On Tour – The Rehearsals: Released by FTD at the end of last year and they sure saved the best for last. The more one listens to this CD the more faultless it sounds. EIN's Piers Beagley provides an in-depth analysis of the "essential FTD release of 2004". (FTD Review, Source: EIN)

Year: 2004

One Night In Vegas: FTD EIN looks back at one of FTD's most important CD releases which captures Elvis' Opening Night in August 1970 that was filmed by MGM for That's The Way It Is. It really was a night to remember. (Source: EIN)

Double Trouble:When Elvis filmed Double Trouble his movie career was at a low ebb. So does this soundtrack release offer fans any real value? Piers Beagley dissects it song by song and identifies the highlights. (FTD Review, Source: EIN)

Closing Night: EIN's Piers Beagley takes an in-depth look at the most controversial CD so far released by the FTD label. It was indeed an historic night when Elvis said "Adios Las Vegas, and bye-bye Colonel too!"

(FTD Review, Source: EIN)

The Impossible Dream: By Elvis' 4th season in Las Vegas the excitement & novelty of live performing in front of the gambling crowd was already wearing off. After the dynamic performances of the previous 'That's The Way It Is' shows Elvis had conquered Vegas and had little more to prove to the casino rollers. Understandably RCA/BMG have never released a live concert from this period and although fans have been demanding a 1971 live release, Ernst & FTD were never going to be able to satisfy everyone with this CD for a variety of reasons.

'Flashback' FTD Book/CD:Fabulous pictures and music make this FTD release a must. The quality, creativity and depth of Elvis' work in the fifties would never be surpassed.

Elvis fans are always hoping for something new about that special period and here FTD present us with their second 'audiovisual documentary' combining a 170 page book of rare & fascinating photos with a CD of unreleased material from 1956-1958.

Along with all the other creative musicians of the time, Elvis was reading insightful books like Aldous Huxley's 'The Doors of Perception' and Timothy Leary's 'Psychedelic Experience'. The Beatles were recording 'Rubber Soul', Dylan was writing 'Like A Rolling Stone', while Elvis is presented with filming one of the worst movies of his career and soundtrack numbers life 'Queenie Wahine' and 'It's a Dog's Life'!

Polk Salad Annie:At last BMG releases a complete concert from Elvis' second Las Vegas season which captures him feeling hot, loose & funky! Polk Salad Annie, Elvis' second Las Vegas season at the International Hotel, Feb 1970, was as dynamic as his opening shows. With every concert sold-out Elvis found himself at the second peak of his live career and feeling more relaxed and comfortable in his performances.

England's NME magazine at the time commented, "The King returned to his throne last week. And there is no doubting he is the monarch. He was everything you could expect and more".

'Live In Memphis':In 1974 Elvis focussed on a hard touring schedule and never once went into a recording studio. The 'Live On Stage In Memphis' LP first released in July '74 captured this but was virtually ignored at the time since it followed a little too closely to the #1 album 'Aloha'. Strangely it was one of the few LPs in the seventies not to have a cover picture of Elvis performing Live and the cover photo of Graceland hardly brought on the excitement & fever of an Elvis concert!

EIN takes an in-depth look at one of Elvis' best concerts of 1974, now released with a fabulous new sound mix that puts you right in the center of the Mid-South Coliseum.

Spinout: is the latest FTD release worth buying? By Elvis Presley's 22nd movie everything had become dreadfully routine. Elvis was a racing driver yet again surrounded by young starlets - and the disappointing 'Paradise Hawaiian Style' had also preceded it.

The soundtrack songs were now becoming pallid impressions of anything else before them. Would Elvis win the race? Get the girl? Did the audience care?!

Frankie and Johnny:Elvis Presley's 20th movie was another themed musical, this time taking on the flavour of the Mississippi showboat era. The New Orleans jazz flavour, that had worked so well in 'King Creole', unfortunately, didn't improve some very average 1965 songs. Elvis also ended up overdubbing the vocal to several of the tracks. According to Memphis Mafia's Alan Fortas, this was because Elvis threw a tantrum on the first night of the sessions. Well if you'd seen 'Petunia, The Gardener's Daughter' as a suggested track wouldn't you have done the same?! FTD showboats down the Mississippi!

EIN's Piers Beagley gives you a detailed lowdown on the FTD release.

Harum Scarum: The fifth of the 6 extended movie soundtracks issued by FTD. Each one so far has been released with an improved mix of the original LP, plus alternate takes, and a colour booklet full of photos and information.

It seems an odd marketing policy to release these CDs in groups of three, since not everybody can afford the luxury of buying all 3 at once. As with other releases in FTD's soundtrack series, this entry would have benefited from enhanced audio.

Plus many of us would have previously purchased them in RCA's "Double-Feature" series and perhaps FTD have dropped the ball with this one. EIN checks it out..

Viva Las Vegas:FTD's best extended soundtrack release & the perfect justification for this series. Great movie, great soundtrack, great treatment by FTD. The chemistry between Elvis Presley & Ann-Margaret, both on screen & off was dynamite & the sexual tension was palpable even in the recording studio! A packed 80 minutes with plently to explore. Recommended for everybody - Buy it, you won't regret it.

(FTD Review, Source: EIN)

Dragonheart: There is no doubt that Elvis' fourth tour of 1974 was one of the low points of his career. So while this CD will have its detractors (Elvis certainly isn't as dynamic as his pre-1973 shows of course) it is a quality soundboard which placed in historical context is just fine to listen to. It catches Elvis in a surprisingly up-beat mood. (FTD Review, Source: EIN)

So High: This is is the final instalment in FTD's close look at Elvis Presley's sixties recordings in Nashville and focuses on those "terrible years" 1966 -1968 and what an absolute gem it is!

This CD cleverly demonstrates that Elvis' creativity was far from finished and it is a skilful selection showing the kind of music that Elvis was enjoying at that time.

An FTD gem that captures cross-section of Elvis' musical genius.

Year: 2003

Takin' Tahoe Tonight: Early 1973 was an emotionally traumatic time for Elvis. The year had started on the perfect high of The Aloha special but, having achieved the ultimate live show, was there really any challenge left to divert him from the sadness of his personal life?Elvis was really having fun during this show.

New Year's Eve:1976 was a very lacklustre year for Elvis overall as already witnessed on the sad 'Tucson 76' live FTD CD. Even Elvis' friend Bill E. Burk wrote in the Memphis Scimitar of his Las Vegas winter performance "One wonders how much longer it can be before the end comes. Why carry on?"

However when Elvis started his 9th tour of the year, just 2 weeks later, something extraordinary & magic had happened. While this is the first FTD "audience" recording, the double diasc release is an historic concert with The King fitter and happier than he had been for some time

'Fun In Acapulco' Offers Great Latino Sound: A Mexican locale, some Tijuana horns, plus the interesting presence of the Mexican ‘Amigos’ at the recording sessions presented a novel setting for Elvis. After the formulaic ‘World’s Fair’ soundtrack here was a far more stimulating challenge for him. FTD continues to re-package Elvis' film soundtracks in 7" format with original artwork and outtakes to delight fans.

Studio B Nashville Outtakes:The sequel to the sensational FTD CD 'Fame & Fortune' takes us on a journey from Elvis' chart topping year of 1961 (Blue Hawaii etc) to that first taste of movie desperation, 'Roustabout'. There is no doubt that the dynamic force of the 'Elvis Is Back' sessions had been left behind & the smoother sound of the sixties had crept in, but at the same time Elvis' Nashville musicians were the brilliant 'A Team' and his voice had never sounded so beautiful. "We've got a classic in here" - EIN reviews a great FTD release

Girl Happy: Elvis' 17th movie and another beach-flick. By 1964 Elvis' Hill & Range publishers were supplying all the songwriters and this could not help but decrease the quality of the supplied material. The Beatles were dominating the pop scene and band members recall Elvis' general apathy in the recording sessions.

It is interesting to note that this is the only Elvis' 1960s movie that had two separate single releases. EIN continues it detailed look at FTD's Elvis film soundtrack releases.

It Happened At The World's Fair: Elvis' 12th movie, and his first 1960's film for MGM. At this point in 1962 good songwriters (ie Otis Blackwell & Don Robertson) were still interested in supplying Elvis' soundtrack material but unfortunately most of the other songs were plot based & lightweight fluff. The audio mix on all the tracks has been spatially opened up to create a wide stereo sound and it truly is "Living Stereo" as the logo infers. This allows all the musicians to shine and the overall feel you get it is that this was a great studio band being wasted on uninspiring material. However the new sound is still a treat to listen to and a track like 'Relax' is delicious with a nice clean bass sound. .. but is it any good?

Dinner at Eight: December 1975 saw Elvis performing at his 14th Las Vegas season. There is no doubt that any novelty of these Hilton audiences had worn thin years before and in fact this rare Christmas season was compensation for the earlier August trip that had to be cancelled after just 5 shows with Elvis being rushed to hospital. Luckily for us Lisa Marie and Linda Thompson were in the audience this night of Dec 13th which might have inspired Elvis a little more than normal but it still takes a while for him to warm up.

Pre 2003

Spring Tours '77: Spring Tours, April 1977 and Elvis, just four months before finally 'leaving the building', is still out on the road supporting the Colonel's gambling habit. Since Elvis refused to go into the studio Felton Jarvis recorded portions of each concert, on a 4 track system, hoping to get some rare material to be included in Elvis' next LP.

1977 wasn't the greatest year for The King. But this release is worth buying if you're buying it for the right reasons. Sound confusing? Piers Beagley explains...

Fame & Fortune: On March 20th 1960 when Elvis walked back into RCA's Studio B it had been an extremely long time since he had recorded anything professionally.

Just 2 days earlier with the same Nashville 'A Team' backing band, The Everly Brothers had recorded their #1 Pop classic 'Cathy's Clown' and now Elvis had to prove that, after 2 years in the army, he too was still a creative force. This is "a treasure to hold": Piers Beagley listens intently to the latest FTD release.

Stunning Sound on 'Dixieland Rocks' : At this stage of his career (1975) some of his concerts were rushed and lacked a little polish, but not his concerts in Murfeesboro, Tennessee on May 6 and 7. Every one of the 24 selections on this release is strong. From the high energy of I Got A Woman (J.D Sumner's low note has to be heard to be believed) to a rumbling version of Polk Salad Annie, the listener is treated to a great concert from the King.

Crisp, clear vocals and great audio quality make Dixieland Rocks a real winner.

It's Midnight: EIN's Piers Beagley loses track of time as he reviews FTD's soundboard release from 1974, an emotionally turbulent year for The King. A packed CD with some excellent songs and some great dialogue, this captures Elvis' feelings of August 1974.

(FTD Review, Source: EIN)

The Nashville Marathon:Studio B stunner from FTD!Elvis was back at the top of the charts and on a high when he returned to the studios on June 4th 1970. Having fallen out with Chips Moman & American studios Elvis was back at Nashville's Studio B. At the Memphis Sessions Elvis was striving at his artistic edge recording in the run-down ghetto area of Memphis and hoping to re-establish himself once again as a creative force. An in-depth review.

Easter Special:"It's Pure Gold!" From the opening track of "March of the Dimes" -Elvis' 1957 plea for the support of Polio victims- to the fabulous 1973 finale of "If that Isn't Love" this CD is a total delight . A brilliant compile of twenty (officially) unreleased Gospel songs this CD features some excellent alternate versions of old favourites as well as some fascinating Studio discussions.

Elvis At the International: FTD's latest Las Vegas soundboard is a sensational show. This is the 20th FTD release and one of their very best. If you had to choose one Elvis show that you could have witnessed then this, Aug 23rd Midnight show, would have to be near the top of your list. After hearing this I won't be playing 'In Person' again! Piers Beagley gives you the lowdown.

6363 Sunset:FTD #8 returns to Elvis' Studio material, giving us alternate versions recorded in March 1972 + 1975 at RCA's Studio C in Hollywood. The first 6 tracks are from the 2 nights in 1972 that produced 'Burning Love' and 'Always on my Mind' and the final 6 tracks focus on the session that produced the TODAY album. But how good were Elvis' recording sessions in Hollywood in 1972 and 1975? Piers Beagley explores a fascinating new FTD release showcasing many of the songs from those sessions.

Memphis Sessions: "The power of Memphis soul":From the wonderful start of "After Loving You" Tk3, this CD is an extraordinary insight into Elvis rediscovering his musical roots that so escaped him in the sixties. This is Beale Street Blues and Memphis Soul combined with some of the most meaningful lyrics that he would ever record. FTD once again let us eavesdrop on Elvis, this time at his most important recording session of his career. An essential purchase.

Silver Screen Stereo:An orthophonic delight! This CD is obviously "Out in Hollywood" Vol.2 but there is much more here. 26 tracks, over 70 minutes, and this time the treat of eavesdropping on Elvis and the band working out the songs. But above all the real is the BRILLIANT audio quality. There is no doubt that opinions are going to be very divided but after a week of continuous listening I realise that Ernst + the FTD team have produced another gem.

Elvis The Way It Was: To be honest my last Elvis purchase was the LP 'Harum Scarum', second-hand, mint condition and cost $7, so paying AU$150 for this new FTD package of CD and book seemed a little excessive in comparison! I also wondered whether I really needed yet more That's The Way It Is material after the 'Live in Las Vegas' box set, TTWII 3 CDs and 'One Night in Vegas'.

FTD's first book + CD release is expensive. Does it offer good value for money? Piers Beagley has the answer.

One Night In Vegas: FTD EIN looks back at one of FTD's most important CD releases which captures Elvis' Opening Night in August 1970 that was filmed by MGM for That's The Way It Is. It really was a night to remember. (FTD Review, Source: EIN)

The Jungle Room Sessions:"...amazing, sad, special and an extremely moving experience."- An essential FTD, perhaps the most important as it reveals a very intimate side of Elvis in his last recording sessions. If you want to understand Elvis' final years you have to own this CD. ESSENTIAL.

'Too Much Monkey Business': Released in 2000 this CD focuses on the Nashville "Young 'Un Sound" studio overdub sessions organised by Elvis' associate producer Felton Jarvis in early 1980. While there are a few hidden gems, in the end these sessions charmingly emphasise just how much Elvis really was the true producer of his own recordings. Fascinating, if ultimately disappointing.

"Burbank 68" revisited:The debut release from FTD is a beauty! Focusing on Elvis' historic '68 Comeback Special, it is chock full of 23 great recordings (including three instrumentals and two dialogue tracks), 14 of which are previously unreleased.

The King is majestic, at a musical peak, rocking and serenading an appreciative, if initially apprehensive audience. The reason for their apprehension is the fact that Elvis hadn't performed live in front of an audience for nearly 8 years and both his nervousness and growing confidence shows throughout the album. Read EIN's review of this historic release.